Cheese-press



t, e e h s S t e e h .S n R. Em MB Lm E E s Hm LH .C J m. d o M O WPatented Sept. 4, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L; HELMER, OF ROME, NEW YORK.

CHEESE-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION vforming* part of Letters Patent No. 525,601, datedSeptember 4, 1894.

Application nea 1mm 5,1894. sena11ta495m5. (No man.)

a new and useful Improvement in Cheese-y Presses, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to that class of cheesel presses which areprovided with devices whereby the pressure is applied automatically, andhas the object to produce an automatic mechanism which is very eectiveand whereby a constantly increasing pressure is applied to the cheeses.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of two sheets: Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional elevation of my improved cheese press showing theparts in position for beginning the pressing operation. Fig. 2 is a topplan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section in line 3 3,Fig. 1. Fig.4 isa fragmentary sectional elevation similar to Fig. 1,showing the parts in the position when the press'- ing operation hasbeen completed. Fig. 5 is afragmentary longitudinalsection of the pinionand one of the eccentric segments. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan viewshowing my invention adapted for pressing two gangs of cheeses. Fig. 7is a vertical longitudinal section showing my invention used inconnection with the usual hand screw for applying the preliminarypressure tothe cheeses.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several iigures.

The press frame consists principally of two upper longitudinal beams AA, two lower-longitudinal beams A A', a cross bar B connecting the frontportions of the upper beams, cross bars B connecting the rear portionsof the upper beams, and legs b secured to'the upper and lower beams.

C-represents the foot block arranged between the rear portions of theupper beams and secured to the rear cross bars.

D represents a gang of cheese hoops of any suitable constructionarranged between the upper beams and rest-ing against the foot block. l

E represents the movable head block arranged between the upper beams andbearing against the head end of the gang of cheeses.

F represents two sliding bars which are arranged in longitudinal groovesfformed in the inner sides of the upper beams and which are connected bya depressed cross bar f', so that the sliding bars move together.

G represents a rear cross head which supports the head block and whichslides with its ends on the sliding bars, so as to permit the head blockto move lengthwise in the machine.

H represents a front cross head arranged with its ends in the grooves ofthe upper beams and capable of being adj usted lengthwise in themachine. The upper beams are each'preferably provided for that purposewith a vlongitudinal row of openings i which intersect the guide groovesof the upper beams and which are adapted to receive pins 7 whereby thefront cross head'is held in its adjusted position. i

Krepresents a main shaft arranged transversely between the front andrear cross heads and journaled with its ends in bearings k formed in thesliding bars. The main shaft is provided centrallywith a pinion k2 whichis rigidly secured thereto."

L L represent two eccentric gear segments which mesh with the front andrear sides of the pinion, respectively, and which are pivotedeccentrically on transverse shafts Z Z j ournaled in bearings Z2 Z3formed, respectively, on the front and rear cross heads. Upon turningthe main shaft `its pinion turns the eccentric segments in oppositedirections.

M represents a weight lever whereby pressure is applied to the cheesesin the-hoops. This lever is mounted on the main shaft and provided atits free end with a weightm. The lever is preferably mounted loosely onthe shaft and connected therewith by a pawl m pivoted upon thelever andengaging with a ratchet wheel 'm2 secured to the main shaft.

Preparatory to beginning the pressing operation the segments are turnedso that those portions of their peripheries which lie nearest theirpivots engage with the pinion of the main shaft and the weight lever israised, as shown in Fig. 1. Upon placing the weight upon the weightlever, when the parts are in this position, the pinion is turned in thedirection of the arrow, Fig. 1, which causes the front segment to bemoved downwardly and the rear segment to be moved upwardly. As the seg-IOO cross head is held stationary during the pressing operation, therear or sliding cross head is caused to yield to the thrust of theV 1osegments and to move backward, thereby compressing the cheeses in thehoops. The main shaft and the sliding bars supporting the same are movedforward to the extent of the increase in the distance between the pivotof the front segment and the pinion, while the rear cross head is movedforward double the amount of movement of the main shaft, which causesthe rear cross head to slide on the sliding bars while the latter aresliding zo in the upper beams.

The segments are preferably provided on both sides with marginal flangesnwhich bear against similar ianges fn on the pinion. These flanges areof such depth that the outer z 5 ends of the teeth of the pinion andsegments are held out of engagement with each other, as represented inFig. 5, thereby preventing the th rust of the segments from beingexerted against the ends of the teeth. As the segments turn on theirpivots their leverage gradually increases, owing to the graduallyincreasing distance from their pivots to the peripheral portions inengagement with the pinion, whereby the pressure upon the cheeses 3 5 isgradually increased as the whey escapes and the cheeses become moredense. After the cheeses have been sufficiently compressed the movementof the pinion and the segments is reversed so as to remove the pressurefrom the cheeses.

In order to prevent the pinion and segments from separating during thisreversal means are provided for keeping them 1n mesh, preferably of thefollowing construction: 0 repre- 4 5 sents coupling bars arranged onopposite sides v of each segment and each pivoted with one end on themain shaft and with the other end on a transverse pin 0 arranged on thesegment concentrically with its gear rim, which 5o latter has the formof a circular arc. This concentric connection of the pinion shaft withthe segments by the coupling bars preserves the proper relative positionof the segments to the pinion and to each other. If it is necessary tocontinue the pressure on the cheeses'- shaft, substantially as setforth.

posite directions and two gangs of cheeses are arrangedin the pressframe,y one on each side of the pinion shaft. The latter remainspractically stationary, unless one gang becomes shorter than the otherby pressure, 7o

when the shaft can adj ust itself to the gangs. t l

My invention is also applicable to an or dinary cheese press in which apressure screw Q is employed for moving the head block and eecting apreliminary pressing o f th e 15 cheeses, while the automatic mechanism1s used for effecting the final pressure. An arrangement suitable forthis purpose is shown `in Fig. 7. In this'igure the front cross head issecured to the movable foot block and the le rear cross head is securedto the rear cross bars of the main frame.

It is obvious that one of these segments can be omitted but it isdesirable to employ two segments because an increased movement isthereby secured for compressing the cheeses. For instance when thepinion shaft lin the construction represented in Fig. 6 is supported instationary bearings, as it may be, the eect on each head block is onlythat of one of the segments.

l claim as myinventionl. The combination with the press frame and themovable pressure block, of an eccentric segment having the form of anarcof a circle, a shaft provided with a pinion meshing with said'segment, and a coupling bar mounted on said shaft and.connectedrconcentrically with said segment, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the press frame and the movable pressure block,o`f sliding vbars arranged on said frame, a movable cross head slidingon said bars and supporting block, a segment pivoted eccentrically onsaid l j cross head, a transverse shaft journaled in 1 l bearingsarranged on said bars and provided Y with a pinion meshing with saidsegment,

and a pressure device connected with said i shaft, substantially as setforth. uo 3. The combination with the presscframo and the movablepressure block, of sliding bars arranged in the press frame,'amovablerear cross head arranged to slide on saidbars `and supporting thepressure 'block, a front cross head adjustably secured to the presi'frame, a transverse shaft arranged between the front and rear crossheads and journaled in bearings arranged on said bars, a pinion ysecured to the transverse shaft, segments e pivoted eccentrically to thefront and .rear cross heads and meshing with the pinion, and a weightlever connected with the transverse Witness my hand this 2d day ofJanuary, 1894.

JAMES L. HELMER.

Witnesses:

W. S. NIENE, WILLIS W. BYAM.

